Avoir is used in the impersonal expression il y a, which means either ‘there is’ or ‘there are.’ Il y a is used to express the existence of a person or a thing, or to make a list or inventory of persons or things. The indefinite article (un, une, des) is usually used with il y a.

The negative of il y a is il n’y a pas. The indefinite article (un une, des) becomes de or d’ after this negative expression. This corresponds to the English word ‘any.’